Bosley and Conner Earn a Wire-to-Wire Win at CCI3*-L at MARS Maryland 5 Star
Elkton, Md.—Oct. 19—The 8-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Casiro 3 x Monique) Conner gave Maryland native Isabelle Bosley her first win at the three-star level in June this year, and he helped her earn her first CCI3*-L win today after jumping double-clear across Michel Vaillancourt’s show jumping track at the MARS Maryland 5 Star.
“Finishing my round and being in that arena and seeing people I have known my entire life cheering for me that I didn’t know were going to be here today was a pretty special feeling,” said Bosley.
She and Conner, owned by Karen Martin, lead the division from start to finish on their untouched dressage score of 24.8.
“I think there's more [people here] than I realized,” she continued. “I think it's really fun, just that it's kind of tying together the world— a lot of the people here are more from the steeplechase industry. I think it's really special that they're coming out and enjoying three-day eventing, because I find both worlds really special and fun. I love being a part of all of it. So I just love that it's kind of one massive community.”
As she warmed up for the final phase today, Bosley took in some sage words of wisdom from her mentor Phillip Dutton and put her faith in her partner.
“I do have a ton of confidence in my horse, and he's a good show jumper, so that's always a nice feeling during the last day,” she said. “Phillip was very helpful to keep me calm in the warm up—I usually keep my cool for the most part—but he definitely gave me a couple pieces of advice. My horse was jumping great in the warmup, and I just knew I just had to stay out of his way and get him to the fence in a pretty decent spot, and he should take care of it, and he did.”
With each outing she has with Conner, Bosley grows more and more excited for what is to come—perhaps coming back to Maryland in a couple of years to contest the five-star?
“He's definitely not for sale,” she said with a chuckle. “I’ve been asked that a couple of times and that's a hard no. We’ll see how everything goes and take it one step at a time.”
Alyssa Phillips and the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding Rockett 19 (Rock Forever x Dery A Mona), whom she co-owns with Julie Phillips, also left their dressage score of 25.5 from Friday morning untouched throughout the weekend, sealing the deal on their second place finish in their first long-format together.
“I was so happy with how he was jumping out in the warmup, and I just wanted to go and give him a good ride. I couldn’t have been happier with him,” said Alyssa.
Both horse and rider will celebrate this outstanding weekend with a nice little break.
“Rockett will go on vacation, and I'm going to Ireland on Tuesday to be the flower girl at my best friend's wedding,” she said.
Navigating a new partnership can have its ups and downs, but Olivia Dutton is hitting her stride with the Jewelent Group’s 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Jewelent (Vallent x Bellaney Jewel).
“I couldn't be happier,” she said following their show jumping round where they just had one down, but still held onto the third place position they earned at the conclusion of dressage. “We're a new partnership, so I feel like everything we've done so far is still getting to know each other. Especially today, in the bigger atmosphere, I wasn't really sure how he would be. It was a little bit rattling when we had the first fence down, but then I just tried to keep my cool, and he jumped really great after that. So I couldn't be happier with him.”
They finished their weekend on a score of 32.9. Olivia has her sights set on an Advanced move up with Jewelent next season as long as their partnership continues to blossom in the way it has this year.
Ryan Wood and the 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Fernhill Domino (Sligo Candy Boy x Unbelievable Cappolla), owned by the Fernhill Domino Syndicate, made a massive leap up the leaderboard after their double-clear cross-country and show jumping rounds saw them going from 31st after dressage to fourth overall.
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